24 Mart 2016 Perşembe

According to the report prepared in September 2013 by the United
Nations, four and a half million people are deprived of their homes, while
three million people are in immigrant status. We are faced with the most
prominent immigrant crisis ever experienced and suffered in history. This
crisis is bringing forth several problems of socio-cultural character extending
over a wide range of territory from the Middle East to the heart of Europe
(such as socio-economic as well as cultural integration problems that the
immigrants are forced to encounter both in the course of migration process and
in the geographical territories they are seeking refuge at). Whereas the
Western states facing problems in coping with all of the aforesaid problems,
are introducing from one day to the next, tough and strict practices towards
the refugees. Such an extensive and massive problem is necessarily and
sometimes inadvertently attracting journalists, sociologists, artists, aid
organizations, as well as major humanistic charity organizations worldwide; new
ones are incessantly added to the newsreels, documentaries, exhibitions and aid
campaigns. The attraction and tendency generated by the current and inclusive
character of the phenomenon and its accompanying tragedy is ever expanding at a
global scale.

Likewise, as an artist Fırat Engin is expressing that he is attracted
by such a force over the foregoing emotional motivations, and he has thereupon
decided to work on this matter. In the course of the trips he has made to the
shores of the Aegean Sea to carry out investigations about this issue, he is
narrating that the virtuous approach of these people fleeing war and from
killing one another is remarkable and admirable as and when they decide to
migrate for the sake of sanctity of life. The Artist taking momentary notes of
his observations, including what he has seen and heard throughout the course of
his field work, is pointing out that he has resolved to convert into his own
inner adventure such particulars acquired through media and accumulation of his
own experiences, following a period of infusion in mental sense. This decision
is originating particularly from over the symbol of “sea”, shores extending
along the coastline, coves, boats, waves and fishermen; teas sipped, stories
told, households visited, imbued with the lyrical impact created by the
personal sensations of the artist in response thereto.

Over this lyrical influence, traces left by the Immigrants on this
coast of the Aegean, their struggles for transition to the Greek Islands via
sea, and over the parallel reading theme set up by the artist with Gaston
Bachelard’s book titled “Water and Dreams”, they are depicted in an abstract
and cinematographic language, and commencing to enter into a phase of
metamorphosis. In this metamorphosed reality, works produced by making use of
techniques like video, photography and neon, are attaining references over such
literary specimen attempted by Bachelard to analyze in terms of the imagery of
substance.

Exhibition titled “Boats Filled With Soul, Water and Dreams!” conspicuous
to the effect that it is introducing a diversified viewpoint and reading
perspective to the subject matter quite frequently handled from different
aspects and eyes up to the present day is at disposal of the audience at
Meclis-i Mebusan Number 25 between April 5th and April 30th, 2016.